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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07 AMENDED AND RESTATED SCHEDULE OF PARKING PENALTIESMEETING DATE: JULY 16, 2013 TO: JEFFREY C. PARKER, CITY MANAGER FROM: SCOTT M. JORDAN, CHIEF OF POLICE SUBJECT: AMENDED AND RESTATED SCHEDULE OF PARKING PENALTIES SUMMARY Adoption of the Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties as recommended by the Tustin Police Department would ensure that City fines for parking violations are current, and consistent with regional standards and legal authority. In addition, adoption of the Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties would standardize, and make internally consistent, the fine amounts assessed for violations of the Tustin City Code and the California Vehicle Code. Such standardization would facilitate enforcement efforts and reduce any confusion concerning perceived inconsistencies in the City's schedule of parking penalties. RECOMMENDATION Adopt Resolution No. 13 -48 amending and restating the City of Tustin schedule of parking penalties, late payment penalties, and related service fees, to be effective forty - five (45) days following passage and approval by City Council. FISCAL IMPACT In Fiscal Year 2011/2012, the Tustin Police Department Traffic Unit issued 8,313 parking citations. The table below uses 2011/2012 figures to illustrate the revenue that could result from the Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties. Assuming all citations are paid on time, the current penalty amounts generate $322,563.00 net revenue. Under the same circumstances, the proposed Schedule of Parking Penalties would generate $366,548.00 net revenue, an increase of $43,985.00. Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties July 16, 2013 Page 2 of 5 Parking Violations and Revenue (FY 2011/2012) Violation Citations Issued Current Penalty Revenue Proposed Penalty Projected Revenue Street Sweeping 4822 $49.00 $236,278.00 $51.00 $245,922.00 No Parking Signs/Curbs 1150 $49.00 $56,350.00 $51.00 $58,650.00 Fire Lane/Hydrant 676 $40.00 $27,040.00 $51.00 $34,476.00 Plates/Registration 582 $32.00 $18,624.00 $51.00 $29,682.00 Permit Parkin 527 $49.00 $25,823.00 $51.00 $26,877.00 Handicapped Parkin 185 $253.00 $46,805.00 $304.00 $56,240.00 Timed Parkin 151 $49.00 $7,399.00 $51.00 $7,701.00 Blocking Sidewalk/Driveway 64 $30.00 $1,920.00 $51.00 $3,624.00 No Parking Zone 61 $49.00 $2,989.00 $51.00 $3,111.00 18" from Curb /Double Parkin 48 $30.00 $1,140.00 $51.00 $2,448.00 Miscellaneous 22 $49.00 $1,078.00 $51.00 $1,122.00 72 Hour Parkin 17 $37.00 $629.00 $51.00 $867.00 Cite Not Received 8 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Total Penalties Assessed State Surcharge Amount Owing to City Increased Net Revenue Under Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties $426,375.00 $103,812.00 S322,563. 00 $470,360.00 $103,812.00 $366,548.00 $43,985.00 In Fiscal Year 2011/2012, The City's $33.00 late payment penalty was assessed and collected on 1,830 citations for a total return of $60,390.00. Increasing the late payment penalties by $2.00, which the Traffic Unit recommends at this time, would increase this return by $3,660.00 under identical circumstances. Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties July 16, 2013 Page 3 of 5 In Fiscal Year 2011/2012, the Traffic Unit obtained 1,413 DMV registration holds at a cost of $4.26 per hold, representing an approximate expense to the City of $6,020.00. Further, the City pays $3.00 per citation on average to its third -party processing agency. Neither the DMV hold nor the third -party processing costs are recoverable under the current schedule of parking penalties. Approval of the Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties would enable the City to recoup these expenditures. BACKGROUND /DISCUSSION City Council last revised the schedule of parking penalties on January 4, 2011, increasing penalties by $3.00 per violation. This increase offset the State Trial Court Trust Fund surcharge imposed by Senate Bill 857 (codified at Government Code § 7600.3) and did not affect revenue to the City. Other than changes made to offset state - mandated surcharges, the last time parking penalties were reviewed and increased by City Council was 1988. Pursuant to California Government Code (Gov. Code) Sections 70372, 76000, 76000.3, 76100 and 76101, the City must pay a total of $12.50 in state - mandated surcharges for each parking citation it collects. The surcharges are disbursed as follows: State- Mandated Surchar es County Courthouse Construction Fund $1.50 County Criminal Justice Facilities Construction Fund $1.50 County General Fund $2.00 State Court Facilities Construction Fund $4.50 State Trial Court Trust Fund $3.00 Total Surcharge $12.50 California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 40203.5 authorizes the City Council to establish parking violation and late payment penalties, and other related charges, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., CVC § 40203.5 requires a minimum fine of $250.00 for unauthorized parking in space designated for disabled persons). To the extent possible, issuing agencies within a county must standardize their parking penalties. In accordance with CVC Section 40203.5, the Traffic Unit recently surveyed neighboring cities to determine whether the City of Tustin parking penalties are current and consistent with regional standards. The following cities were surveyed: (1) Buena Park; (2) Costa Mesa; (3) Fountain Valley; (4) Fullerton; (5) Garden Grove; (6) Huntington Beach; (7) Irvine; (8) Orange; (9) Placentia; and (10) Santa Ana. Based on this survey, the Traffic Unit determined that the City of Tustin parking penalties for both CVC and Tustin City Code (TCC) violations are generally lower than the fines assessed on Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties July 16, 2013 Page 4 of 5 average by surrounding cities for similar offenses. In no instance does a current City of Tustin parking penalty exceed the maximum corresponding fine amount uncovered by the survey. The Traffic Unit has compiled the Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties, attached as Exhibit "A ". The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties as to content and form. The proposed schedule would increase penalties for violations of the CVC by $15.00 on average (excluding penalties for violations related to disabled parking and accessibility, which are set in accordance with state law and the Judicial Council of California's Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule). The Traffic Unit has endeavored to standardize the penalty amounts charged for violations of the CVC. Under the proposed schedule of parking penalties, with the exception of violations related to disabled parking and accessibility, all of CVC offenses would be punishable by a $51.00 fine. The amended penalties for CVC violations are generally consistent with the average corresponding penalty amounts charged by the ten survey cities, and in no instance do the proposed fines exceed the survey's maximum corresponding penalty amounts. The Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties would increase current penalties for violations of the TCC by $2.00 on average. As with the amended CVC penalty amounts, the Traffic Unit has endeavored to standardize the penalty amounts charged for violations of the TCC. Under the proposed schedule of parking penalties, every TCC offense would be punishable by a $51.00 fine. The amended penalties for TCC violations are generally consistent with the average corresponding penalty amounts charged by the ten survey cities, and in no instance do the proposed fines exceed the survey's maximum corresponding penalty amounts. The Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties would reduce current penalties for violations of the CVC and TCC in four instances: • Whereas violations of CVC § 4462(b) "Incorrect Registration" are currently assessed $68.00 — well below the survey high of $120.00 — the proposed schedule would reduce this fine by $17.00, resulting in an amended penalty of $51.00. • Whereas violations of CVC § 4464 "Altered Plates" are currently assessed $68.00 — well below the survey high of $76.00 — the proposed schedule would reduce this fine by $17.00, resulting in an amended penalty of $51.00. • Whereas violations of CVC § 22521 "No Parking within 7 feet of Railroad Crossing" are currently assessed $60.00 — well below the survey high of $82.00 — the proposed schedule would reduce this fine by $9.00, resulting in an amended penalty of $51.00. Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties July 16, 2013 Page 5 of 5 Whereas violations of TCC § 5330(g) "Repairing or Greasing Vehicles on the Street" are assessed $62.00 under the current penalty schedule — well below the survey high of $105.00 — the proposed schedule would reduce this fine by $11.00, resulting in an amended penalty of $51.00. These reductions would further standardize the City's parking penalties, and are unlikely to have a discernible fiscal impact because violations of the respective CVC and TCC sections are rarely cited (See Parking Violations and Revenue (FY 2011/2012) Table above). Additionally, the Amended and Restated Schedule of Parking Penalties would: (1) raise one -time late payment penalties from $33.00 to $35.00 and (2) add a one -time $5.00 service fee in instances where a hold is placed on the vehicle registration through the Department of Motor Vehicles. lr SCOTT M. JOR AN Chief of Police Attachment: Resolution No. 13 -48 BRIAN GREENE Traffic Supervisor ATTACHMENT N0. 1 RESOLUTION NO. 13 -48 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING AN AMENDED AND RESTATED SCHEDULE OF PARKING PENALTIES, LATE PAYMENTS, AND RELATED SERVICE FEES WHEREAS, the California Vehicle Code Section 40203.5 states "the schedule of parking penalties for parking violations and late payment penalties shall be established by the governing body of the jurisdiction where the notice of violation is issued "; and WHEREAS, the California Vehicle Code Section 40203.5 further provides that local governments must, to the extent possible, standardize parking penalties; and WHEREAS, the City of Tustin is obligated to pay a total of $12.50 as a state surcharge on each parking citation collected pursuant to California Government Code Sections 70372, 76000, 76000.3, 76100 and 76101; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Tustin seeks to amend and restate the monetary penalties imposed pursuant to its schedule of parking penalties for violations of the California Vehicle Code and the Tustin City Code. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Schedule of Parking Penalties The following Parking Penalties for violations of the Tustin City Code (TCC) and the California Vehicle Code (CVC), inclusive of the $12.50 state surcharge, are hereby established: CVC Section 4462 (b) Violation Description Incorrect Registration $51 4464 Altered Plates $51 5200 (a) Display correct number of attached license plates $51 5201 License plates securely attached /correct placement $51 5202 Without proper display of license plates $51 5204 (a) Missing/improper tabs $51 21113 (a) No unauthorized parking on public grounds $51 22500 (a) No Parking/Stopping - In Intersection $51 22500 (b) No Parking/Stopping - In Crosswalk $51 Section CVC .. Description No Parking/Stopping - Safety zone red curb $51 22500 (c) 22500 (d) No Parking /Stopping - Between 15' of fire station driveway $51 22500 (e) No Parking/Stopping - In front of public/ private driveway $51 22500(f) No Parking/Stopping - On sidewalk $51 22500 (g) No Parking/Stopping - Obstructing Traffic $51 22500 (h) No Parking/Stopping - Alongside another parked vehicle $51 22500 (i) No Parking /Stopping - Alongside bus loading /unloading zone $304 22500 0) No Parking/Stopping - In a tube /tunnel $51 22500 (k) No Parking/Stopping - On bridges $51 22500(l) No Parking /Stopping - In front of /on sidewalk access ram $304 22500.1 Fire Lane $51 22502 (a) Right wheels must be Min 18" of the curb $51 22507.8 (c) Handicapped Parking-Hash Marks $304 22507.8 (a) Handicapped Parking $304 22514 Fire Hydrant $51 22515 Vehicle left stopped/standing unattended $51 22516 Locked vehicle w/ person inside unable to escape $51 22521 No Parkin - Min 7' of railroad tracks/crossing $51 22522 No Parkin - Min 3" of sidewalk access ram $304 TCC Section 5330 b Violation Description Standing/Stopping in parkways prohibited $51 5330 c No Stopping/Parking zone $51 5330 d 2 No Parkin - Public Works, steps, etc. $51 5330 d 3 No Parkin - Traffic hazard $51 5330 d 4 No Parkin - Appropriate signs/curbs $51 5330 d 5 No Parkin - Railway Tracks $51 5330 d 6 No Parkin - Hazard to life & property $51 5330 d 7 No Parkin - Maintenance, Repair, Construction $51 5330 d 8 No Parkin - Win 20' of a safety zone $51 5330 d 9 No Parkin - Win 20' of a crosswalk $51 5330 d 10 No Parkin - Win 20' of boulevard, sign, signal $51 5330 a Use of street for storage of vehicle 72 hours $51 5330 g Repairing or greasing vehicle on public street $51 5330 i 2 No Parkin - Traffic hazard school property $51 5330 m (1) No Parking - Temporary emergency traffic congestion sign $51 TCC Section 5331 a Violation Description 24 minute parking - green curb Penalty $51 5331 b 40 minute parking $51 5331 c 1 hour parking $51 5331 d 2 hour parking $51 5331 e 4 hour parking $51 5331 f 8 hour parking $51 5331 g 12 hour parking $51 5331 h No Parkin - left side, unless posted $51 5331 ' Parkin w /inspace markings $51 5331 k No Stopping zone $51 5331 n No Parkin - Permit required $51 5332 b (1)(a) No Stopping - Red paint $51 5332 b (1)(b) Loading or unloading passengers- Yellow paint $51 5332 b (1)(c) 3 minute limit - passenger or mail- White paint $51 5332 f Parking in alley $51 5334 No Parkin - Street Sweeping $51 5340 d Commercial vehicle parking $51 Section 2. Late Payment Penalty A one -time late payment penalty of thirty -five dollars ($35.00) shall be added to the total penalty amount if payment in full is not received within twenty -nine (29) days of the issuance of the Parking Citation. Section 3. Department of Motor Vehicles Service Fee A one -time service fee of five dollars ($5.00) shall be added to the total penalty amount if payment in full is not received within fifty -two (52) days of the issuance of the Parking Citation and a vehicle registration hold is obtained through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Section 4. Definitions As used in this Resolution, the term 'Parking Citation" shall mean any administrative citation issued for an alleged violation of the Tustin City Code (TCC) and the California Vehicle Code (CVC) Sections listed in the Schedule of Parking Penalties set forth in Section 1 above. Section 5. Effective Date This Resolution shall become effective forty -five (45) days following its passage and adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Counsel of the City of Tustin, at a regular meeting on the 16th day of July. ELWYN A. MURRAY, Mayor ATTEST: JEFFREY C. PARKER, City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS CITY OF TUSTIN ) I, Jeffrey C. Parker, City Clerk and ex- officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Tustin, California, do hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council of the City of Tustin is five; that the above and foregoing Resolution No. 13 -48 was duly assessed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Tustin City Council, held on the 16`h day of July, 2013, by the following vote: COUNCILMEMBER AYES: COUNCILMEMBER NOES: COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAINED: COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT: JEFFREY C. PARKER City Clerk